1	THE NEW TESTAMENT RLST 209/DIV 2511 Introduction to the Semester
2	Instructors Daniel Patte Garland 301G Office Hours: W 1:30-3:00 pm & by appointments Yung Suk Kim Garland 301E Office Hours: M 12:10-1:00 Bobby Morris Office Hours: TBA Rubén Muñoz Garland 301E Office Hours: F 10:-11:00 Rohun Park Office Hours: TBA Kimberly Peeler Garland 301E Office Hours: R 11:00-12:00
3	Goals: Gaining a solid knowledge of the basic content and major themes of each of the 27 books of the New Testament using the chosen interpretations in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible a) Historical setting b) Authorship c) Date and place of composition d) Historical Context c) Outline of content d) Main themes
4	Goals: Gaining a solid knowledge of The Socio-Historical Setting The Literary Genres that makes these books authoritative And the Religious teaching For a specific Christian community in the 1rst (or 2^nd) century C.E. G. Theissen, Introduction How, for Theissen each book expresses: The consensus in the community Orientation of environment Definition of Identity Internal tensions Structures of authority
5	Goals: Gaining a solid knowledge of The positive or problematic teachings that each book has for women The Authority of the Bible as Scripture Following A Women’s Bible Commentary Assessing value and power of biblical texts Ambivalent power Variety of teachings about women a) within the NT b) according to chosen interpretation Gender, language and Interpretation
6	Goals: Gaining a solid knowledge of the teaching of each NT text about the relation between church and world for a certain social, economic, cultural, religious life-context today, With A Global Bible Commentary Reading the text from the perspective of specific life-contexts, and Reading one’s life- context from the perspective of the text What problems are present in this context? How does the text help address them?
7	Goals: Learning to have a critical stance toward any biblical interpretation: Those of scholars Those of theologians Those of believers One’s own By recognizing that each has made: Textual choices Theological choices Contextual choices
8	Structure of each week
9	Lectures Making sense of the 4 readings We have a choice among interpretations because each made A) Textual choices a.k.a. Analytical choices (chose a method) B) Theological choices C) Contextual choices A) “behind,” “in,” “in front” of the text Critical methods B) Main theological themes; religious experience emphasized C) Life-context Problems addressed
10	Discussions Relative Values of 4 readings Which one is “the best” (and “the worst”) among these 4 interpretations? In a given concrete situation Led by 4 students: each 1) showing the main features/conclusions of an interpretation; 2) Providing an assessment of the positive or negative value of this teaching. Two basic Criteria: Loving God: “best” fitting theologically speaking (my convictions about God) Loving Neighbors: “Best” = beneficial to neighbors; “Worst” = hurtful to neighbors.
11	Why this Emphasis? Scholz: Biblical Studies Alternatively Patte, Stubbs, Ukpon, Velunta: The Gospel of matthew: A Contextual Introduction Ethics of Biblical Interpretation: Biblical Interpretation matters: -” good news” Postively transforms the life of people “bad news” negatively: hurting, oppressing, killing people: Bible used to justify crusades, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, slavery, racism, patriarchaism, sexism, homophobia, coloniaslism, … actual people are hurt, We can (and must) assume responsibility for our interpretations a) we have a choice among critical methods, therefore We have a choice (we are always making a choice) among several interpretations which are legitimate and plausible
12	Thursday/Friday Discussion 5 groups of 10 or 11 (maximum = 12) Groups have been balanced (you remain on the same day for which you registered, but 7 of you will meet in a different room)
13	Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-12 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
14	QUESTION: See Gospel of Matthew, pp. 29-32 Come to class with a 10 LINES formulation of 1) What is according to you the MAIN TEACHING of this text for BELIEVERS today. (5 lines) 2) What is the CONCRETE LIFE-SITUATION in which this teaching is most useful for believers (the more concrete the situation, the better) (3 lines) 3) The need or problem that believers have in this context; that this teaching helps believers to solve or to address. (2 lines)
15	Ordinary Believers’ Interpretations Primarily concerns A) Contextual choices B) Theological choices Yet, they also have made C) Textual choices… and done so carefully because “their life depends on it”